I loved the city and I particularly loved the gaiety and spirit of Mardi Gras.

Tomorrow Mardi Gras opens officially.

The opening track, "' Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum ', includes many references to parades in Mardi Gras in New Orleans, where participants are masked, and " determined to go all the way " of the parade route, in spite of being intoxicated.

The wearing of costumes has become an important part of such holidays and festivals as Mardi Gras and Halloween ( see Halloween costume for more information ), and ( to a lesser extent ) people may also wear costumes in conjunction with other holidays, such as Christmas and Easter.

Mardi Gras costumes usually take the form of jesters and other fantasy characters, while Halloween costumes traditionally take the form of supernatural creatures such as ghosts, vampires, pop culture icons and angels.

This day, the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday when Lent begins, is also known as Mardi Gras, a French phrase which translates as " Fat Tuesday " to mark the last consumption of eggs and dairy before Lent begins.

The Krewe of Orpheus parades on St. Charles Avenue and Canal Street in New Orleans on Lundi Gras ( Fat Monday ) — the day before Mardi Gras ( Fat Tuesday ).

The event has earned its name as the Mardi Gras of the Mountains.

* Mardi Gras Indians

* He was Grand Marshal of the Krewe of Endymion Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans on February 21, 2009 and was accompanied by The Chee-Weez, a local area cover band.

* Mardi Gras ( February 3 to March 9 in regular years, February 4 to March 9 in leap years )

* Shrove Tuesday / Mardi Gras – 47 days before Easter.

These parties are sometimes associated with holiday events, such as Halloween and Mardi Gras.

* Mardi Gras

* Mardi Gras

* Mardi Gras

* Mardi Gras

New Orleans musicians such as Bartholomew and Longhair incorporated Cuban instruments, as well as the clave pattern and related two-celled figures in songs such as " Carnival Day ," ( Bartholomew 1949 ) and " Mardi Gras In New Orleans " ( Longhair 1949 ).

In his " Mardi Gras in New Orleans ," the pianist employs the 2-3 clave onbeat / offbeat motif in a rumba boogie " guajeo " ( below ).

Piano excerpt from the rumba boogie " Mardi Gras in New Orleans " ( 1949 ) by Professor Longhair.

The Hawketts, in " Mardi Gras Mambo " ( 1955 ) ( featuring the vocals of a young Art Neville ), make a clear reference to Perez Prado in their use of his trademark " Unhh!

Listen: " Mardi Gras Mambo " by the Hawketts ( 1955 ).

After three consecutive years of school bands, singer and comedienne Carol Channing led a tribute to Mardi Gras.

Actress and singer Carol Channing was featured during the halftime show that paid tribute to Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

Nevertheless, the Momus parade never returned to the streets of New Orleans, although the group still conducts an annual bal masqué on the Thursday before Mardi Gras.

: " It was Comus, who, in 1857, saved and transformed the dying flame of the old Creole Carnival with his enchanter's cup ; it was Comus who introduced torch lit processions and thematic floats to Mardi Gras ; and it was Comus who ritually closed, and still closes, the most cherished festivities of New Orleans with splendor and pomp.

The Mistick Krewe of Comus still holds an annual ball on Mardi Gras night.

In many countries, however, Septuagesima Sunday still marks the traditional start of the carnival season, culminating on Shrove Tuesday, sometimes known as Mardi Gras.

Mardi Gras Bayou is a site a few miles north of Pointe-ala-Hache where there are still ruins of an old fort, Fort De La Bouyere that was later built on that site.

The city of Memphis celebrated Mardi Gras, and a Carnival season based on the traditional Christian liturgical calendar just before the season of Lent, similar to what is still practiced in cities such as New Orleans, Louisiana, Mobile, Alabama, Galveston, Texas, Venice, Italy and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Pointed hats are still worn in the rural Louisiana Mardi Gras celebrations by the Cajuns, the Courir de Mardi Gras, where they are known as capuchons.

Today, Purina still hosts their annual Beggin ' Pet Parade around the time of Mardi Gras.

Parades such as Sydney's Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras and Manchester's Pride events attract significant investment and create tourist revenue, and cities are beginning to realize, firstly, that the acceptance of lesbian and gay culture is fast becoming a sign of urban " sophistication ", and secondly, that gay-oriented events, such as pride parades, the World Outgames and the Gay Games, are potentially lucrative events, attracting thousands of gay tourists and their dollars.

In 1991, the New Orleans City Council passed an ordinance that required social organizations, including Mardi Gras Krewes, to certify publicly that they did not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender or sexual orientation, in order to obtain parade permits and other public licensure.

In 1991 the New Orleans city council passed an ordinance that required social organizations, including Mardi Gras Krewes, to certify publicly that they did not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender or sexual orientation, in order to obtain parade permits and other public licensure.

The identity of Rex is made public on Lundi Gras, the day before Mardi Gras.

Since then, Everett has participated in public activities ( leading the 2007 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras ), played a double role in the film St. Trinian's, and has appeared on TV several times ( as a contestant in the special Comic Relief Does The Apprentice, as a presenter at Live Earth and as guest host at Channel 4 show The Friday Night Project among others ), but has made much news for making shocking comments and remarks at interviews that have caused public outrage.

In 1991 the New Orleans City Council passed an ordinance that required social organizations, including Mardi Gras Krewes, to certify publicly that they did not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender or sexual orientation, to obtain parade permits and other public licenses.

The series also explores New Orleans culture including and beyond the music scene to encompass political corruption, the public housing controversy, the criminal-justice system, clashes between police and Mardi Gras Indians, and the struggle to regain the tourism industry after the storm.

As a consequence of the impending collapse of the organisation, there was a groundswell of concern and support within Sydney's LGBTQI communities for the continuation of the work and events of Mardi Gras.

" The efforts of Rex targeted specific community needs such as support for police and other first responders, an organized clean-up effort of the Uptown parade route after Mardi Gras, as well as continued efforts to support New Orleans ' Charter Schools.

This included major support for the Mardi Gras and purchase of the Sackville Street Gardens in 1990 and becoming the first UK council to support civil partnerships.